Diabetic Eye Exam
Diabetes & Eye Health
Diabetes is a disease that profoundly affects many areas of your body, including your eyes. It increases your risk for eye conditions, such as glaucoma and cataracts. The primary concern for eye health in people with diabetes is the development of diabetic retinopathy.
Diabetic retinopathy is a condition that develops when the blood vessels in your retina become damaged. The retina is the light-sensitive portion of the back of your eye. As the damage worsens, you may begin losing your vision. Your eyesight may become blurry, less intense, and begin to disappear.
This condition can affect people with type 1 or type 2 diabetes. The longer you live with diabetes, the more likely you are to develop complications like diabetic retinopathy. This is why adopting lifestyle changes and learning to manage diabetes is so important.
Symptoms of Diabetic Retinopathy
In its earliest stages, diabetic retinopathy may cause no symptoms. The initial symptoms may be barely noticeable or mild. Over time, the condition can worsen and lead to partial and then complete blindness.
Some of the advanced level symptoms include:
Floaters, or dots and dark strings, in your field of vision
Dark or empty areas in your field of vision
Blurry vision
Difficulty focusing
Vision changes that seem to fluctuate
Altered color vision
Partial or total vision loss
Diabetic retinopathy most often affects both eyes at the same time and in equal measure. If you are experiencing issues with only one eye, it doesn’t mean you don’t have diabetic retinopathy. However, it might indicate another eye issue.
If you have these symptoms please make an appointment with us today to find an appropriate treatment plan.